I Dare To Dream
by A Knight of Tortall
Summary: This has got nothing to do with the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) song. It's about a girl named Aisling whose power lies through dreams. She meets Daine and Kel. It's more interesting than it sounds, please please please click, read, and REVI
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I think the new characters and the plot is mine¡K but the rest is the Goddess of Fantasy¡¦s ¡V Tamora Pierce

Disclaimer: I think the new characters and the plot is mine¡K but the rest is the Goddess of Fantasy¡¦s ¡V Tamora Pierce.

A/N: I¡¦m really sorry, I will try to update my other fics as soon as possible but I just wanted to get this out. And this has nothing whatsoever to do with the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) song. Thanks. 

I Dare To Dream Chapter One 

_I was riding, riding on my mount, Whisper, and it was through city gates¡K but which city? Taking in all my colorful surroundings, I realized it was Market Day. I did not stop, but rode on. It was a beautiful place, and I arrived at a large palace¡K the royal palace. This must be Corus. I was welcomed there, the guards hurriedly rushed to escort me to the king¡K but I didn¡¦t know why. _

_¡§Aisling,¡¨ he whispered. _

_¡§How do you know my name?¡¨ I trembled. _

_He looked surprised. ¡§Your power is known throughout the land.¡¨_

_¡§What power?¡¨_

_The king couldn¡¦t answer, for everything became hazy, and the next thing I knew, I was in another place, and I saw another man¡K_

_¡§I am Gainel,¡¨ he murmured. Gainel¡K he was a god! The dream god! ¡§Use it well, darling, use it well.¡¨ _

_¡§Use what?¡¨_

_I felt weird energy jolt through me, and then it ended¡K_

__I gasped, sitting upright. ¡§What a strange dream,¡¨ I muttered as I got out of my bed. I fumbled through my pack and took out my dreamlog, a record of my dreams. I¡¦d had it ever since I could remember, and it was one of my most treasured objects. Flipping to the next empty page, I scrawled all I could remember, every little detail of my dream. 

¡§Aisling!¡¨ Mama called.

¡§Coming!¡¨ I yelled back, hurriedly putting my record safely away. I scrambled to the kitchen, where there was a fresh loaf of bread, ham, and fruit on the table.

¡§G¡¦morning, Da,¡¨ I greeted, helping myself to some butter. ¡§You know, I had the strangest dream last night.¡¨

¡§Don¡¦t you always,¡¨ Mama laughed. ¡§Every time you dream, you tell us it¡¦s the strangest. I suppose they get odder and odder every time.¡¨

¡§Yes,¡¨ I agreed. ¡§Anyways, I was riding into Corus on Whisper, and I went into the royal palace, and the king knew my name. I asked him how, and he said everyone knew of my power. Then Gainel appeared, and he told me to use it well, and I didn¡¦t know what he meant, but then it ended.¡¨

When I mentioned Gainel, Da started coughing, and I inquired, ¡§Da, you alright?¡¨

¡§Fine,¡¨ he gasped. Mama was frowning. 

¡§What¡¦s wrong, Mama?¡¨ I asked.

She shook her head, and busied herself with the tableware. ¡§That _was _a strange dream, all right.¡¨ She laughed again, but this time it was strained. I shrugged, and went outside to play by the stream. I soon was bored, and went inside again. 

¡§¡KThink we should tell her¡K¡¨

¡§Libby, she¡¦s¡K¡¨

¡§¡KBut the dream¡K¡¨

I had a feeling they were talking about me, so I crept to the window to hear better.

¡§Gainel is the dream god, Ian, he appears in dreams!¡¨

¡§It was probably a message¡K it¡¦s probably time¡K¡¨

¡§It _is _time, we should have told her long ago, the first time he came!¡¨

¡§After supper then.¡¨

I was never the impatient, edgy kind, so I didn¡¦t mind having to wait till after supper. But I _did _mind that they had kept a secret from me for fourteen years. And what did Gainel have to do with this? It was true, my dreams often mentioned a power of some sort, but he was a _god_. Gods didn¡¦t take interest in commoners like us.

***

I had finished my supper, and was waiting patiently for Mama and Da. They were being painstakingly slow tonight¡K and I knew why. _They must not be too happy with what they have to tell me_, I thought. _But they said they had to¡K why_?

Mama was first to finish, and we both lingered for Da. Finally he took his last bite, and nodded at Mama. I looked at them expectantly.

¡§Aisling, we¡¦ve got something to tell you.¡¨

¡§What is it, Mama?¡¨

Mama looked hurt hearing what I had called her. ¡§There¡¦s no easy way to say this¡Kyour da and I, we¡¦re not really your parents.¡¨

¡§What are you talking about? Of course you are.¡¨

¡§No, we¡¦re not. We found you lying in that stream, with the great god Gainel leaning over you. We was holding our breaths, wondering what he wanted to do. He caught sight of us, and told us to take care of you, that you were destined to do great things. We daren¡¦t refuse a god, or you for that matter, with your chubby little arms upraised¡K¡¨ she smiled at the memory. ¡§But, thing is, Gainel being the dream god and all, we think you got a power, is what he¡¦s trying to say through your dreams.¡¨

Mama had never been tactful at all, but I was still shocked when she told me. ¡§Then¡K then I¡¦m not Aisling Kirk,¡¨ I whispered in disbelief. 

¡§No.¡¨ That was Da. ¡§But you¡¦ll always be our Aisling, and we¡¦ll always love you.¡¨

My eyes filled with tears. ¡§No,¡¨ I croaked. ¡§I belong to you. You named me, you raised me, you ¡V ¡¨

¡§We didn¡¦t name you, darling. Gainel told us you was named Aisling. And we did raise you, but that don¡¦t make us your real parents. He gave your dreamlog to you too.¡¨¡§What do I do now?¡¨ 

¡§I suppose you should just ¡V just go, and try to find yourself. Anywhere. Remember, Aisling, you¡¦re in Gainel¡¦s hands now. Let him watch over you and destiny decide.¡¨

***

Wiping tears away, I didn¡¦t look back as I rode from our small cottage. Whisper whinnied, and I shook my head.

¡§We¡¦re not going back this time,¡¨ I murmured tearfully. 

Taking out my small bag of possessions, I rummaged for my dreamlog, and flipped through it randomly, reading. I felt at ease.

After a few days, I reached city walls and I decided to enter. All of a sudden, my blood ran cold. _It was the city in my dream_. I looked, and saw the palace, and it felt strange, almost unnatural. I rode Whisper there, as before, but of course they didn¡¦t know me, and I wasn¡¦t welcomed. But I saw a woman ¡V a girl? ¡V in the courtyard. I hesitated, wondering if I should say something. 

She looked up, and waved me over. 

¡§Hello,¡¨ she greeted. ¡§I don¡¦t think I¡¦ve seen you before. Do you know me?¡¨

¡§No.¡¨

¡§Well then, my name is Veralidaine Sarrasri. Call me Daine. I¡¦m the Wildmage at the palace.¡¨

I looked into her blue-gray eyes, and took notice of her smoky curls. I had intense blue eyes myself, and pale, almost white blond hair. In truth, it was the palest hair I¡¦d ever seen. It was a shocking contrast to the deep color of my eyes. Da had once said I looked like something out of a dream world, and that had brought me to the subject of my dream last night.

Looking back at Daine, I thought she looked like someone I could trust. ¡§I¡¦m Aisling,¡¨ I told her. ¡§Aisling ¡V ¡¨ I started to say ¡§Kirk¡¨ but then I remembered I was Kirk no more. ¡§Just Aisling.¡¨

Daine stared into my eyes, as if she could read my soul. It was uncanny, and I decided I could confide in her. I explained everything, truthfully, and she listened. When I¡¦d finished, she only remarked, ¡§I¡¦ve met Gainel before.¡¨

I gaped at her, shocked. ¡§You ¡V you met ¡V you were in the presence of a ¡V a _god_?¡¨

¡§Yes. I was in the realms of the gods before, and it turns out both my father and mother are gods¡K but it would take too long to explain now.¡¨

Gazing with newfound respect at Daine, I wondered how a modest-looking person like her had come to have immortal parents and met gods before. She was still watching me critically. I met her gaze squarely. Daine nodded and beckoned to me. 

I followed her, and was amazed when she led me into the palace. A commoner like me¡K going into the royal palace? She led me into her own chambers, and as soon as she entered, she called, ¡§Numair?¡¨

A disgruntled looking man stepped out of another adjoined room. ¡§Daine,¡¨ he started irritably, and then noticed me. ¡§Forgive me,¡¨ he apologized. ¡§I didn¡¦t notice we had a visitor. What would you like?¡¨

Daine answered for me, explaining everything I had told her. Numair frowned. ¡§Yes?¡¨ 

¡§See,¡¨ Daine enlightened. ¡§I think Aisling here has got wild magic too.¡¨

Second chapter will be up soon as I can. I hope you don¡¦t think that this is a cliffhanger, ¡¥cause I don¡¦t view it as one. Be very very nice, please, and always review. (smiles her most charming, appealing grin) 

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	2. A Fast-Paced Beginning

Disclaimer: What I said in Chapter One

Disclaimer: What I said in Chapter One.

A/N: I still don¡¦t know if Aisling¡¦s got wild magic or not. Oh well. And btw, this takes place right after Squire. I finally got my hands on it! So **DON¡¦T READ IF YOU HAVEN¡¦T READ SQUIRE YET!!!**

I Dare To Dream Chapter Two 

I gaped in disbelief. I wasn¡¦t sure what wild magic was, but I sure understood the ¡§magic¡¨ part of it. ¡§No, you¡¦re surely mistaken,¡¨ I gasped. ¡§I don¡¦t ¡V I¡¦m not ¡V ¡¨

¡§Aisling, that¡¦s what I thought when Numair mentioned I had wild magic,¡¨ Daine explained patiently. ¡§Now look at me, Wildmage of Tortall.¡¨ Her mouth twisted into a wry smile. 

¡§Why do you think so, Daine?¡¨ Numair asked. ¡§That she¡¦s got wild magic?¡¨

¡§I can see it in her.¡¨

He studied me. ¡§I see,¡¨ he murmured.

¡§What _is _wild magic?¡¨ I questioned timidly. 

¡§Well, it¡¦s not the Gift¡K but it¡¦s an elemental magic.¡¨ 

¡§I don¡¦t understand.¡¨

¡§Like me, I¡¦ve got magic with animals. Stefan Groomsman, he¡¦s the chief hostler, his magic is with horses, and so is Onua¡¦s. And Miri, my friend, her uncle can talk to dolphins.¡¨

¡§Oh, all right.¡¨

¡§Numair, I think that Gainel ¡V he¡¦s trying, well, no¡K Do you remember in the Divine Realms? When he sent us those messages?¡¨

¡§What are you saying, Daine?¡¨

¡§I think her power lies through her dreams.¡¨

***

I kept remembering what the king had said in my dream. _Your power is known throughout the land_¡K Was the dream trying to tell me that I had magic? Through my dreams?

Later in the day, Daine was taking me around the palace on a tour, and I saw a girl among some boys. ¡§Who¡¦s she?¡¨ I whispered.

Daine smiled. ¡§Kel!¡¨ she beckoned. 

The girl came over and smiled at me. ¡§Hello, Daine.¡¨

¡§Kel, this is Aisling, Aisling, Sir Keladry of Mindelan,¡¨ Daine introduced. ¡§Is that right? Sir Keladry?¡¨ 

¡§Hello, Keladry,¡¨ I murmured shyly.

¡§Hey, Aisling.¡¨ She was friendly enough. ¡§You can call me Kel.¡¨

¡§Would you take her around, Kel?¡¨ Daine asked. ¡§I think I hear a robin that needs me¡K¡¨ She listened intently for a moment. 

¡§Sure, I¡¦d love to!¡¨ As Daine hurried off, Kel took me over to the group of boys I¡¦d seen her with. ¡§Aisling, this is Nealan of Queenscove, Cleon of Kennan, Merric of Hollyrose, Owen of Jesslaw¡K¡¨ 

I couldn¡¦t keep them all straight, but I nodded. ¡§What are you all here for?¡¨ I asked.

¡§We¡¦re knights,¡¨ a tall, green-eyed boy explained. ¡§At least, Kel, Cleon, and I are. To think, I could have been a healer, instead of bashing my head open fifty million times ¡V by the way, it¡¦s Neal.¡¨

Another redhead elbowed him playfully. ¡§You wouldn¡¦t have met us then,¡¨ he said loftily. 

¡§I could have lived without you¡K¡¨

They tussled briefly, and I looked on in bewilderment. ¡§Are you the only girl among them all?¡¨ I whispered to Kel.

¡§Yes. Goddess knows they need mothering.¡¨ She rolled her eyes. 

I went to bed that night in a room the palace had lent me, feeling like I had a new friend.

***

I awoke the next morning, unsure of what to do. Just as I was about to get up, Daine poked her head in my room. ¡§Oh good, you¡¦re awake! Kel said she¡¦d be happy to help you. You can go around with her today. If she¡¦s needed with something, just sit and try not to get in the way. Numair and I have some busy work to attend to¡K¡¨

¡§Of course.¡¨

Breakfast that day was sweetened porridge, thick, cold slices of ham, platters of fruit and cheese, and rolls melting with butter. It was all very good, but I found myself longing for some of Mama¡¦s fluffy, white, homemade bread. _No_, I corrected. _Libby Kirk¡¦s homemade bread_. _She¡¦s not your mother anymore._ It felt so strange, calling Mama by her first name, but she wasn¡¦t my mother¡K

Then who was?

With a sickening jolt, I realized I wasn¡¦t sure who my parents were. I resolved to find them. Daine had told me her story yesterday. I¡¦d be like her, brave and helping Tortall.

¡§Are you alright? You look all strange and twisted,¡¨ Kel noted through a mouthful of porridge.

I sighed. She was friendly. I could tell her. ¡§Well, see, it all started like this¡K¡¨

When I was done, I found even the boys were listening intently, caught up in my narrative. ¡§Wow,¡¨ someone ¡V was it Neal? ¡V commented.

¡§Jolly!¡¨ exclaimed another. (A/N: Yes, we all know that¡¦s Owen.)

¡§Do you really?¡¨ questioned another in a hushed whisper. ¡§Have magic?¡¨

¡§Daine and Numair seem to think it¡¦s wild magic.¡¨ 

They nodded, but then the bell to signal that breakfast was over rang.

I followed Kel around, still unsure. As we walked through the halls, I noticed many people staring at me uneasily.

¡§What¡¦s wrong?¡¨ I whispered. ¡§Do I have something ¡V what is it?¡¨

¡§It¡¦s a time of ¡¥high political tension¡¦, according to Raoul, my old knight master. You¡¦ve got blond hair and blue eyes, don¡¦t you? Maybe they think you¡¦re Scanran.¡¨ She realized what she had just said, and blanched. ¡§Are you?¡¨

¡§No!¡¨ I stressed rather forcefully.

¡§How come ¡V where¡¦s ¡V ¡¨

I sighed. ¡§I don¡¦t know who my parents are now. I want to find them, though.¡¨

Kel relaxed and shrugged. ¡§Maybe¡K Gainel?¡¨

Gasping, I cried, ¡§How could you think that?¡¨ I thought of Daine and Weiryn. Could it be¡K? No.

¡§Well, considering how he¡¦s taken an interest in you, and the fact that you seem tied to your dreams somehow¡K¡¨

I shook my head. ¡§That wouldn¡¦t happen. I¡¦m a Commoner. Why would he ever be involved with the likes of me?¡¨

***

Later in the day, I was in a room playing chess with Kel, Neal, and Cleon. Just then, someone burst into the room, looking tense and very anxious. He whispered something urgently to them as I watched, feeling left out. The three¡¦s faces immediately became grim, apprehensive, and I thought I saw something like fear flickering across them. The herald speeded out again, to announce whatever he¡¦d said to others. 

¡§What happened?¡¨ I inquired curiously.

¡§The king has just declared war,¡¨ Neal whispered in awe.

I clapped my hands to my mouth. ¡§War?¡¨ I squealed behind my hands. ¡§Tortall can¡¦t go to war!¡¨

¡§The Scanrans and their allies have been attacking us lately,¡¨ Cleon explained.

I bit my lip. There was no telling what would happen in a war. Were Mama and Da safe? Would they be all right?

That night I had another dream.

_A pile of limp dolls was on the floor. But that couldn¡¦t be right ¡V no one made dolls with such grotesque faces! Battered, broken, and bruised, those weren¡¦t ¡V with a sudden realization, I thought in panic ¡V _

_They¡¦re children._

_A voice sounded. I was positive it was Gainel¡¦s, though I had no idea how. ¡§That is your task,¡¨ he thundered. ¡§Sir Keladry has been given the same one. Join forces, and you will succeed.¡¨_

_¡§How?¡¨ I whispered, trembling. I shouldn¡¦t question a god!_

_¡§You¡¦ve got your magic.¡¨ He was fading away._

_¡§Wait!¡¨ I cried. ¡§So I do have magic? Is it wild magic, like Numair and Daine say?¡¨_

_¡§No,¡¨ his voice was more distant. ¡§It is my power in you, Aisling.¡¨_

_¡§What power?¡¨ I screamed after him. But it was no use._

_He was gone._

_ _

I woke, shivering. I was sure now ¡V I had magic. Gainel¡¦s power in me? I shook my head. ¡§I¡¦ll tell Daine later,¡¨ I whispered to myself. ¡§Best not worry about such things right now.¡¨

__¡§Kel,¡¨ I muttered in the morning. ¡§A moment?¡¨

She followed me out of the mess hall. ¡§What¡¦s up?¡¨

I told her everything about my dream. She whitened. ¡§Yes,¡¨ she answered finally. ¡§I had that same ¡V vision.¡¨

¡§We¡¦ve got to get together then!¡¨ 

Kel nodded, and promised, ¡§We¡¦ll talk about it later.¡¨

I went to tell Daine and Numair. They watched me, startled.

¡§Well,¡¨ Numair announced at last. ¡§Your training starts tomorrow.¡¨

I have got plans¡K big plans for this story. It¡¦s going to be one of my better ones, I think. Yeah, I removed Tortall Today, ¡¥cause it TOTALLY messed up. I¡¦m restarting it, so look out for a Tortall Today (Revised Version) and no one take my idea!!! __


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